A fall hike with a breathtaking payoff

The hike to the Mount Tallac summit is like a slow-burning fuse to a case of dynamite. On the slow trip up -- even though you know the explosion is ahead -- nothing can prepare you for the magnitude of the event.

With a few final steps, you top the ridge and gain the 9,735-foot summit. In one eye-popping moment, the scope of the view hits you all at once:

The east flank drops 3,000 feet at your boot tips to gorgeous Fallen Leaf Lake, surrounded by aspens and pine, extends to Lake Tahoe, pristine and cobalt blue, the prettiest lake in America, with Mount Rose in Nevada crowning the horizon to the east.

Mount Tallac offers one of the prettiest views anywhere. Yet it is just one of many stellar destinations in the Western United States and Bay Area, where the best time to make the trip is now, mid-September through late October.

The reason is because of the cooler temperatures arriving with the onset of the fall equinox on Tuesday. Cold temperatures will wick away moisture from the air. That results in vastly improved clarity. The colder the air, the better the view. That time is fast arriving.

While you can drive to many of the best viewpoints, combining the trip with a hike and getaway can make the experience last for months. Mount Tallac is one of the best testimonials.

Mount Tallac is located west of South Lake Tahoe, the mountain peak that looms as a perch over Lake Tahoe. The hike to the top is a one-way tromp of 5. 8 miles, a pull of about 31/2 to 4 hours for most, with an elevation gain of 3, 175 feet. The trip back is a downhill breeze.

At midmorning this past week, the temperature at the trailhead was 45 degrees, ideal for hiking and staying fresh. At the summit, it was 30 degrees at dawn and in the high 50s by early afternoon, perfect for stellar clarity. Of course, this means to dress in layers, stashing a lightweight fleece jacket and a windbreaker in a daypack, so you can enjoy the payoff on top in comfort.

The starting point is just beyond the marina at Fallen Leaf Lake, what is signed as the Glen Alpine Trailhead. Make certain you have packed a trail lunch, snacks and water, and then head out on the main trail (well signed). It becomes a historic road with a cobblestone surface, and then turns into trail after the first mile.

As you enter Desolation Wilderness, the climb is steady up Glen Alpine Canyon, a climb most can enjoy in rhythm, stroking out the steps. In 1.5 miles, you will reach a junction signed Grass Lake to the left, Gilmore Lake to the right. Turn right, and then the trip really starts.

Here you gain more elevation, yet even then, the switchbacks allow you to stay in hiking rhythm. About 3.5 miles in, you will arrive at Gilmore Lake, a perfect stopping point for a trail snack and water. From here, you get a clear view of the back side of Mount Tallac, where you can see that its slopes are above the tree line, largely barren and smoothed by centuries of erosion.

The top seems so close, only 2 miles away. But it is a steep climb to get there, a butt-kicker for some. Even if you just walk a little over 1 mph, you'll get there in less than two hours.

Near the summit, the trail eventually deteriorates into a boulder field. You rock hop the last few hundred yards, and then suddenly, you emerge on top -- and one of the most eye-popping views in America is yours.

This is the classic 360, though it is difficult to take your eyes off the magical Tahoe. Many will sit for an hour or two, taking it in. This perch also provides one of the best lookouts for Desolation Wilderness, and dozens of other peaks, including Dicks Peak (9,874 feet) and Jacks Peak (9,856 feet) to the direct west.

On Friday, a thin smoker layer well below the summit margined the diamond- like beauty below. Regardless, Mount Tallac towers over a landscape where some 5,000 square miles seem within reach.

Looking to the west across Desolation, and then scanning south to north, the sharp-eyed will see the geologic transition zone here from metamorphic rock to granitic. Others couldn't care less.

They care instead about how a view like this makes them feel inside. In the end, that is what will stay with you.

If you want to go

Cost: Free for day-use.

Trail rules: Hikers and dogs permitted. No mountain bikes. Hikers must fill out a day-use permit at the wilderness trailhead. Wilderness permit required for campers.

How to get there: From South Lake Tahoe, take Highway 89 north for 3 miles to Fallen Leaf Lake Road. Turn left and drive 4.8 miles (narrow) past the Fallen Leaf Marina to a fork with Road 1216 (signed Lily Lake and Desolation Wilderness. Turn left at the fork and drive 0.7 mile to parking area and trailhead.